Press Release

IGAD, EU and Austrian Development Agency

sign agreement on peace and security in
Horn of Africa
23 March 2018, Addis Ababa - The Intergovernmental Authority on
Development (IGAD), the European Union (EU) and the Austrian Development
Agency (ADA) today signed a €42 million agreement that will go towards IGAD’s
peace and security programmes in the Horn of Africa region.

The agreement is one of many actions being funded by the European Union
Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, which was established to promote stability and
address the root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons. The
agreement also includes financing from the governments of Austria and Sweden.

This action, which covers a four-year period from 2018 to 2022, will help IGAD to
improve its conflict early warning systems, become more skilled in mediation,
and to counter trans-national security threats. In particular, IGAD and its partner
countries in the region will be able to improve the collection and distribution of
early warning data, so that governments can take action in time to prevent
conflicts.

A new Mediation Support Fund will finance the cost of sending mediation teams
into conflicts as they happen, and training in mediation and preventive diplomacy
will improve the skills of the mediators. Countries of the region will be able to
share their experiences of trans-national security threats, such as violent
extremism and terrorism, and work together to find lasting solutions.

During the signing ceremony at the Austrian Embassy Residence in Addis

Ababa, IGAD Executive Secretary Amb(Eng.) Mahboub Maalim expressed his
appreciation to the European Union and its member countries for their generous
support and acknowledged their long-standing partnership with IGAD. He
particularly appreciated their sustained financial and political support to peace
processes in Somalia and South Sudan.

Ambassador Maalim stated, “The support will be critical in building the capacity
of IGAD’s core peace and security programmes in preventive diplomacy, trans-
national security, counter-terrorism and mediation and enable us to better handle
the complex peace and security challenges faced by the region.”

1
Ambassador Ranieri Sabatucci, the Head of EU Delegation to the AU stated
"Nothing of the resources foreseen under this project can have any lasting effect
unless they are used to support the political efforts by the leaders of the Region.
As much as we would like to see peace spreading in the Horn of Africa, we can't
want it more than the people, the institutions and the governments of the region.
Our guiding principle is 'African solutions to African problems'. This principle has
guided all the EU efforts in the support of peace on the continent".

Mr. Martin Ledolter, Managing Director of the Austrian Development Agency, on

his part added: “I am grateful for the trust that IGAD and the EU are putting in the
Austrian partnership and expertise. By the end of the program in four years’ time
I am confident that IGAD’s and IGAD Member states’ peace and security
institutions will be further strengthened in their efforts to protect peoples’ lives
and contribute to a secure region.” He underlined the empowerment of women as
essential: “I particularly hope that women will be able to take their rightful place at
the negotiation tables and gain a much more prominent role in peace processes
and conflict prevention.”

Background

Under the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Stability and
addressing roots causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in
Africa (EUTF) a EUR 42 million programme co-financed by the Austrian
Development Agency (ADA) and the Swedish International Development Agency
(SIDA) will be implemented in the upcoming four years with the specific
objectives to:
• Improve the IGAD Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism;
• Enable cooperation between IGAD and national governments of the
region on countering transnational security threats;
• Enhance the skills of IGAD and national governments in the region for
preventive diplomacy and mediation,
• Provide capacity building and core staffing for IGAD's Peace & Security
Division.

The Austrian Development Agency (ADA) has been delegated by the European
Commission to implement this regional programme entitled “IGAD Promoting
Peace and Stability in the Horn of Africa Region” (IPPSHAR) together with IGAD
Secretariat.

The EU is already active in supporting other IGAD’s programmes, such as peace

and national reconciliation in Somalia, and the IGAD led mediation process in
South Sudanand the cease-fire monitoring mechanism. END
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For further information, contact:
• Ms. Tigist Hailu, IGAD/CEWARN, tigist.hailu@cewarn.org +251911663514
• Mr. Biruk Feleke, EU-AU, Biruk.FELEKE@eeas.europa.eu +251911514809